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Scholarship Applications

The application deadline for the Leroy F. Aarons Scholarship has been extended to noon ET on June 5, 2020.

Leroy F. Aarons dedicated his life to journalism. He believed that the LGBTQ community could advance if the news media fairly and accurately portrayed the lives of LGBTQ individuals and their issues. This simple but visionary idea became the foundation for NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists.

Aarons knew that coverage of the LGBTQ community, as well as that of other minority communities, required increasing sophistication and training for journalists. He realized early that improving coverage had to start in the training camps for young journalists – journalism schools at the nation’s colleges and universities. In NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists’ 15th year, the Leroy F. Aarons Scholarship Award was established to honor Aarons’ memory and to continue the work he began when he founded NLGJA: : The Association of LGBTQ Journalists in 1990.

The scholarship award for the 2020-2021 academic year will provide up to $5,000 in tuition funding to an LGBTQ student who plans a career in journalism and is committed to furthering NLGJA:: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists’ mission of fair and accurate coverage of the LGBTQ community.

Contributors

NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists is grateful to its members, friends and corporate sponsors who have contributed to the NLGJA Scholarship Fund, including CNN’s inaugural gift of $100,000 in January of 2006.

Criteria

Applicants must be planning to pursue a career in journalism, be able to demonstrate their passion and commitment to the profession. Selection will be based on journalistic and scholastic ability. Applicants also must demonstrate an awareness of the issues facing the LGBTQ community and the importance of fair and accurate news coverage.

For undergraduates, a declared major in journalism and/or communications is desirable but not required. Non-journalism majors may demonstrate their commitment to a journalism career through work samples, internships, and work on a school news publication, online news service or broadcast affiliate.

Graduate students must be enrolled in a journalism program.

Applicants must be NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists members in good standing.

Who Can Apply

Current undergrad or incoming students enrolled in a U.S. community college or four-year university. Proof of acceptance or current enrollment required.

Current graduate students enrolled in an accredited journalism or mass communications field. Proof of acceptance or current enrollment required.

How to Apply

A complete application package should be submitted electronically. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Application packages should include:

Application.

One-page résumé.

Five work samples as described under work samples.

Proof of attendance: a letter of acceptance or a letter of enrollment from a U.S. community college or four-year university (contact awards@nlgja.org for exceptions). Scanned copies accepted.

Write and publish a news story to tumblr of words and multimedia. Pick one story topic:

Profile a senior LGBTQ activist in your community. Use text, video, audio, stills, and/or infographics to show this person’s story and role in the community.

Address a legislative initiative in your community that impacts the LGBTQ population. Use text, video, audio, stills, and/or infographics to show the impact.

Cover an LGBTQ event in your community. Use text, video, audio, stills, and/or infographics to cover different aspects of the event.

Have a great idea that’s not mentioned here? Pitch it to our staff: awards@nlgja.org.

Any audio or video element should be between 2 and 5 minutes. Photo galleries should have between 10 and 30 photos. Infographics should be limited to two graphics. Text should be no more than 750 words.

Stories do not require all elements, but should be designed for online consumption where users expect a rich multimedia presentation.

Aarons Scholarship – NLGJA

2120 L St NW, Suite 850

Washington, DC 20037

Please send application questions to awards@nlgja.org and include the name of the applicant in the subject line.

Application Fee

There is no application fee for the Leroy F. Aarons Scholarship.

Administration

NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists partnered with The Philadelphia Foundation (TPF), a community foundation established in 1918, to administer the NLGJA Student Scholarship Fund. The Delaware Valley Legacy Fund, a component fund of TPF serving to advance philanthropy within the LGBTQ communities, will disburse the scholarship awards upon receiving recommendation from NLGJA during each award period.

Work Samples

Print – Samples written by the applicant and published in a high school, college or community newspaper, magazine or online news service. Samples should be submitted as scans in either *.jpg or *.pdf formats.

Video – Should be submitted via e-mail when possible. Embedded video, file downloads or web addresses are also acceptable. Work samples may contain more than one story but should be no longer than 10 minutes.

Audio – Should be submitted via e-mail when possible. File downloads or web addresses are also acceptable. Work samples may contain more than one story but should be no longer than 10 minutes.

Photographic – Images should be examples of published work from a high school, college or community newspaper, magazine or online news service. Published submissions and/or originals should be submitted in *.jpg, *.pdf, *.tif or *.gif formats.

Deadline and Schedule

The deadline for the 2020-2021 Leroy F. Aarons Scholarship Award has been extended to June 5, 2020. NLGJA is not responsible for any incomplete or late applications, nor any late applications due to e-mail delays. The recipient will be notified about their award in July 2020.

*Any undelivered application will be considered incomplete.

Excellence Contract

Application and receipt of the Aarons Scholarship will be considered a Contract of Excellence between applicant and NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists. The contract commits the student to a level of academic achievement and to a continuing role as a member of NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists. Specifically, the contract requires the scholarship recipient to:

Maintain a 3.2-point grade average during the academic year that the scholarship is awarded. If the grade point average falls below 3.0, the student may be ineligible to receive subsequent scholarship disbursements.

Provide NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists with transcripts for each term covered by the scholarship.

Originate and complete a project designed to advance the mission of NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists. A project can be done in conjunction with class work or work done for student publications, broadcast or online media. Examples of a project include:

Produce a project or other body of work for a campus or LGBTQ news organization that focuses on diversity themes.

Produce a project or other body of work for a class that focuses on diversity themes. Participate in a campus diversity event where the student will speak or organize a program focusing on the importance of news coverage of diversity issues.

Work with a local or student NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists chapter to produce a significant program focused on news coverage of diversity issues.

Work with an assigned mentor to meet the terms of the contract. The mentor will be responsible for working with the student to conceive and produce the project.

Restrictions and Terms

The scholarship is available only to U.S. citizens or permanent residents who plan to attend a full year of school in the U.S. The scholarship may not be used to pay for course work or credits earned abroad. The scholarship award may pay for tuition only. The amount of the scholarship award will not exceed the student’s annual tuition costs. The scholarship must be disbursed within the calendar year it is awarded.

Awards usually will be disbursed in equal increments at the beginning of each quarter or semester. The Delaware Valley Legacy Fund (DVLF) will work with college or university financial aid offices to determine the best schedule for distributing awards, which will be sent directly to the institution. No payments will be made directly to students. The scholarship award will not exceed the cost of tuition.

Return of Awards

Recipients who are unable to finish the academic year because of illness or family emergencies may be asked to reimburse DVLF for awards provided for the uncompleted quarter or semester. Students suspended from school for inadequate academic performance, disciplinary action or who were charged with a criminal offense will be asked to repay their entire scholarship. DVLF will return the unused funds into NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists’ distribution account or endowment, at NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists’ recommendation.

Applications for the Kay Longcope Scholarship Award are due May 29, 2020.

Journalist Kay Longcope was co-founder of the statewide LGBTQ newsweekly, The Texas Triangle, and is generally regarded as the first out reporter at the Boston Globe newspaper. The pioneering Longcope started writing for the Globe in 1970 and was there for more than twenty years, including tenure as the paper’s religion editor. She died of pancreatic cancer on March 28, 2007.

The Kay Longcope Scholarship Award was established in 2008 through a gift from Longcope’s estate and with the guidance of Longcope’s partner Barbara Wohlgemuth. NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists is pleased to be home to this unique scholarship opportunity which furthers the vision of founder Leroy F. Aarons and moves forward his belief in the critical role diversity plays in the education of the next generation of newsroom leaders.

The scholarship award for 2020-2021 academic year will provide up to $3,000 tuition assistance to an LGBTQ student of color who plans a career in journalism and is committed to furthering NLGJA’s mission of fair and accurate coverage of the LGBTQ community.

Contributors

NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists is grateful to Kay Longcope and her partner Barbara Wohlgemuth for establishing this award in her estate plan.

Administration

NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists partnered with The Philadelphia Foundation (TPF), a community foundation established in 1918, to administer the NLGJA Student Scholarship Fund. The Delaware Valley Legacy Fund, a component fund of TPF serving to advance philanthropy within the LGBTQ communities, will disburse the scholarship awards upon receiving recommendation from NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists during each award period.

Criteria

Applicants must be an LGBTQ individual of color planning to pursue a career in journalism and be able to demonstrate their passion and commitment to the profession. Selection will be based on journalistic and scholastic ability. Applicants also must demonstrate an awareness of the issues facing the LGBTQ community and the importance of fair and accurate news coverage.

For undergraduates, a declared major in journalism and communications is desirable but not required. Non-journalism majors may demonstrate their commitment to a journalism career through work samples, internships and work on a school newspaper, online news service or broadcast affiliate.

Graduate students must be enrolled in a journalism program.

Applicants must be NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists members in good standing.

Who Can Apply

Current undergrad or incoming students enrolled in a U.S. community college or four-year university. Proof of acceptance or current enrollment required.

Current graduate students enrolled in an accredited journalism or mass communications field. Proof of acceptance or current enrollment required.

How to Apply

A complete application package should be submitted electronically. Incomplete Applications will not be considered.

Application packages should include:

Application.

One-page résumé.

Five work samples as described under work samples.

Proof of attendance: a letter of acceptance or a letter of enrollment from a U.S. community college or four-year university (contact awards@nlgja.org for exceptions). Scanned copies accepted.

Write and publish a news story to Tumblr of words and multimedia. Pick one story topic:

Profile a senior LGBTQ activist in your community. Use text, video, audio, stills, and/or infographics to show this person’s story and role in the community.

Address a legislative initiative in your community that impacts the LGBTQ population. Use text, video, audio, stills, and/or infographics to show the impact.

Cover an LGBTQ event in your community. Use text, video, audio, stills, and/or infographics to cover different aspects of the event.

Have a great idea that’s not mentioned here? Pitch it to our staff: awards@nlgja.org.

Any audio or video element should be between 2 and 5 minutes. Photo galleries should have between 10 and 30 photos. Infographics should be limited to two graphics. Text should be no more than 750 words.

Stories do not require all elements, but should be designed for online consumption where users expect a rich multimedia presentation.

Longcope Scholarship – NLGJA

2120 L St NW, Suite 850

Washington, DC 20037

Please send application questions to awards@nlgja.org and include the name of the applicant in the subject line.

Application Fee

There is no application fee for the Kay Longcope Scholarship.

Work Samples

Print – Samples written by the applicant and published in a high school, college or community newspaper, magazine or online news service. Samples should be submitted as scans in either *.jpg or *.pdf formats.

Video – Should be submitted via e-mail when possible. Embedded video, file downloads or web addresses are also acceptable. Work samples may contain more than one story but should be no longer than 10 minutes.

Audio – Should be submitted via e-mail when possible. File downloads or web addresses are also acceptable. Work samples may contain more than one story but should be no longer than 10 minutes.

Photographic – Images should be examples of published work from a high school, college or community newspaper, magazine or online news service. Published submissions and/or originals should be submitted in *.jpg, *.pdf, *.tif or *.gif formats.

Deadline and Schedule

The deadline for the 2020-2021 Longcope Award is due May 29, 2020. NLGJA is not responsible for any incomplete or late applications, nor any late applications due to e-mail delays. The recipient will be notified about their award in July 2020.

*Any undelivered application will be considered incomplete.

Excellence Contract

Application and receipt of the Aarons Scholarship will be considered a Contract of Excellence between applicant and NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists. The contract commits the student to a level of academic achievement and to a continuing role as a member of NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists. Specifically, the contract requires the scholarship recipient to:

Maintain a 3.2-point grade average during the academic year that the scholarship is awarded. If the grade point average falls below 3.0, the student may be ineligible to receive subsequent scholarship disbursements.

Provide NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists with transcripts for each term covered by the scholarship.

Originate and complete a project designed to advance the mission of NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists. A project can be done in conjunction with class work or work done for student publications, broadcast or online media. Examples of a project include:

Produce a project or other body of work for a campus or LGBTQ news organization that focuses on diversity themes.

Produce a project or other body of work for a class that focuses on diversity themes. Participate in a campus diversity event where the student will speak or organize a program focusing on the importance of news coverage of diversity issues.

Work with a local or student NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists chapter to produce a significant program focused on news coverage of diversity issues.

Work with an assigned mentor to meet the terms of the contract. The mentor will be responsible for working with the student to conceive and produce the project.

Restrictions and Terms

The scholarship is available only to U.S. citizens or permanent residents who plan to attend a full year of school in the U.S. The scholarship may not be used to pay for course work or credits earned abroad. The scholarship award may pay for tuition only. The amount of the scholarship award will not exceed the student’s annual tuition costs. Awards usually will be disbursed in equal increments at the beginning of each quarter or semester. The Delaware Valley Legacy Fund (DVLF) will work with college or university financial aid offices to determine the best schedule for distributing awards, which will be sent directly to the institution. No payments will be made directly to students. The scholarship award will not exceed the cost of tuition.The scholarship must be disbursed within the calendar year it is awarded.

Return of Awards

Recipients who are unable to finish the academic year because of illness or family emergencies may be asked to reimburse DVLF for awards provided for the uncompleted quarter or semester. Students suspended from school for inadequate academic performance, disciplinary action or who were charged with a criminal offense will be asked to repay their entire scholarship. DVLF will return the unused funds into NLGJA:The Association of LGBTQ Journalists’ distribution account or endowment, at NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists’ recommendation.

Demographic Information may be a requirement for specific scholarships. You may choose not to provide this information.

Gender Identity

Sexual Orientation

Race/Ethnicity

Birthdate

Biographical Information

Please respond to several short prompts. No more than 150 words each.

Tumblr Article URLPlease provide direct URL for submission. Write and publish a news story to tumbler of words and multimedia. Pick one story topic (See prompts). Any audio or video element should be between 2 and 5 minutes. Photo galleries should have between 10 and 30 photos. Infographics should be limited to two graphics. Text should be no more than 750 words. Stories do not require all elements, but should be designed for online consumption where users expect a rich multi media presentation.

Question #1

Describe, briefly, your vision of journalism, its role in our society, and your potential contributions.

#1)

600 of 600 characters remaining

Question #2

Describe your interest in journalism and why it appeals to you as a career.

#2)

600 of 600 characters remaining

Question #3

Describe your personal experiences and plans that will help you become a successful journalist.

#3)

600 of 600 characters remaining

Question #4

Describe your interest and involvement in the LGBT community.

#4)

600 of 600 characters remaining

Upload Work Samples

You may also email samples to scholarships@nlgja.org.

One-page résumé

Proof of attendanceThis can be an acceptance letter, transcripts, or a tuition bill.